“That’s not a plan to be a backup,” Barkley told Angelo Cataldi of 94WIP earlier today. “I don’t think that ever should be your goal. Sometimes it may work out that way, but it doesn’t mean I’m not going to have that goal to be on the field.”

Barkley has been getting third-team reps while Vick and Foles share the first-team snaps. Coach Chip Kelly is waiting for a starter to emerge. The longer it takes for Vick and Foles, the greater the chance Barkley has, in theory, to swipe the job.

Meanwhile, Barkley is focused on getting up to speed.

“I’m still on the learning curve, to where I kind of have more questions than answers with the offense,” Barkley said. “But I think at the end of camp, no doubt, it will be the opposite to where I can provide those answers and provide options for change if necessary.”

The ultimate change would be the name “Barkley” becoming relevant once again in the Philly sports scene. It may be inevitable — and there’s a chance it’ll happen sooner rather than later.

I’ll be dissapointed if the REdskins offense Doesnt put up ay least 5 touchdowns on this Green clown show led by Chip Spurri-err Kelly. #burgundyandgoldstandard

floratiotime says:Jul 31, 2013 10:22 AM

That’s too lofty a goal. His should be ‘not being cut’.

eagleswin says:Jul 31, 2013 10:23 AM

Barkley may turn out to be the eventual starter in 2 or 3 years but not this year.

I wish they’d just cut bait with Vick.

apdaddy77 says:Jul 31, 2013 10:24 AM

Love the attitude. It is refreshing when a guy comes in and rolls up his sleeves to work. Too many guys expect things to be handed to them.

cobibones13 says:Jul 31, 2013 10:26 AM

It would be funny if he doesn’t win the starting job and just retires. He’s nothing more than another John David Booty type QB, hopefully everyone will figure it out soon enough and he won’t have anymore stories written about him.

To Eagles fans, this is a refreshing thing. Finally a QB who wants the job not just inherited it.

johnnyoclock says:Jul 31, 2013 10:34 AM

Barkley will end the year, which is all that matters.

What’s really aggrivating to hear is people say the phrase, “this offense”.

No one knows what “this offense” even is. Chip Kelly himself doesn’t even know what “this offense” is. Stop this garbage about who is the proper fit for “this offense”.

One thing very interesting is that everyone saying Vick is the right fit for “this offense” misses one simple thing. Look at the other two guys, Foles and Barkley. Running and athleticism etc. is not at all they’re game.

Foles could have been shipped to KC but Kelly kept him for a reason, and that reason is not running. Barkley was chosen by Kelly to be drafted for reasons other than running. Barkley was a value pick, but why wasn’t it some other super athletic guy picked as the value pick. It was a non-running Barkley for a reason, the same reason non-running Foles was also kept for a reason on purpose.

Point being, “this offense” has 3 guys picked to compete by the coach, and two of them are not runners. Now think about that next time you say, “this offense”.

If “this offense” were to be what everyone insits, the value pick in the 4th would’ve been another guy. Foles would have been sent to KC for a mid round pick and another athletic guy would have been put in there. Dennis Dixon doesn’t count because he’s there for familiarity like a younger Crash Davis type thing. If Dixon were relevant he’d have taken Foles place and Barkley wouldn’t even be here.

So remember next time you hear some bozo media guy say, “this offense”, just remember the non-athletic guys out-number the athletic guy. And that was all Kelly’s choosing.

There’s a difference here. Russel Wilson is a better QB and didn’t come into the league preceded by a year on the sidelines. It’s an uphill battle for Barkley. He’s got moxie, but he’s still got a long way to go.

OMG! It”s good to be a fan – but this guy is clueless – Redskins, redskins, redskins – waaa waaa waaa, why did we not hear from him at all before last year?

(Iknoweverything says: Jul 31, 2013 10:27 AM
Russell Wilson did not “steal” the QB job. He just flat out earned it, and I think the season he had as a rookie proved it was not only earned, but deserved as well)

Jeez – He didn’t insult Wilson. But Wilson “did” steal the job when you consider that the Seahawks signed a high-priced free agent to run the show and going in Wilson was a huge underdog to win the job. But he did, he won it, stole it, took it.

(despenc925 says: Jul 31, 2013 10:35 AM
Barkley, stop! he couldn’t even lead USC anywhere and got injured. what makes him think he could run the eagles with no o-line?!)

Really? No O-Line? Do you watch football or do you just listen to yourself? Injuries decimated their line last year. 3 season ending injuries to the starters early in the year. Go home and watch sportscenter…….

myeaglescantwin says:Jul 31, 2013 10:58 AM

Hey, if Vick gets broken and Foles can’t cut it..
why the hell not.

this guy has been the #1 QB prospect in the nation since he was 14.
The only thing is he has a pop gun arm much like Kolb.

If he spends a year getting stronger, i could see him winning the camp battle next summer.

If he gets the starting job this year, i can see the birds drafting in the top 10 yet again.

The most interesting man in the world’s 2 cents is worth $37 and change.. Logicalvoices 2 cents… He owes you several dollars afterwards as a refund for both the headache his ridiculous logic causes and for wasting people’s time in the first… “He doesn’t always share his opinion, but when he does… It’s crazy.”

Nobody PLANS to be a backup. It just works out that way based on talent, opportunity and results. If Barkley wants to make headway, learn the playbook inside and out, and when given a chance — make plays! Chip Kelly is a smart guy, and if you win the job (or suck less than your competition), you’ll have your day in the sun. The abundance of sunny days at Southern Cal didn’t work out the way you thought as a senior though, so maybe a little self-examination is in order here.

Barkley has been a star QB at every level but this is the NFL and I want to see what he does in the exhibition games. When I watched Russell Wilson in the pre season last year I knew he “had it”. Barkley at the college level reminded me of a young Dru Breese. A QB, who is very smart, works hard, distributes the ball accurately and shows outstanding leadership. He made all the throws in college but doesn’t have a canon. Time will tell.

No way I’d want a USC QB for my team. The recent ones from there , just do not have what it takes to be a champion at this level.
Chip needs to just make a call and go with it. Cut the loser and let them move on.
You already know what you get with Vick. Foles is at least not set in his ways, and shown is unable to adapt like MV. (plus he hasn’t killed dogs for fun)

I like Barkley, I think he is going to be a starter this year without a doubt in my mind. He reminds me of a Brady/Manning. Good game manager, born leader, not outstanding arm strength but high football IQ. Do I think he will be as good as those guys….negative. I think he can be a solid NFL starter at the level of say a Carson Palmer/Matt Schaub

logicalvoicesays says:
Jul 31, 2013 10:17 AM
I’ll be dissapointed if the REdskins offense Doesnt put up ay least 5 touchdowns on this Green clown show led by Chip Spurri-err Kelly. #burgundyandgoldstandard====================================================================================================you have already dropped from your previous prediction of 7 t.d’s by game time you’ll be favoring the Eagles.

logicalvoicesays, just because you hired Spurrier and it was a bust doesn’t mean all coaches coming from successful college programs will be. College football has lots of down time while the kids are in classes and not on the practice field. Spurrier used that time to work on his golf game.

Coaches like Harbaugh, Schiano, and (after his first mistake in the NFL) Carroll have learned to spend more time in the film room and less on the golf course.

People fail to remember that the Eagles offense wasn’t good because 3 of the 5 starters on the line(all 3 of which could probably start on 90% of teams in the league) were hurt and the Eagles made a terrible decision on bringing in Demetress Bell. #bellequaledbustcity

There’s a difference here. Russel Wilson is a better QB and didn’t come into the league preceded by a year on the sidelines. It’s an uphill battle for Barkley. He’s got moxie, but he’s still got a long way to go.

Matt Barkley has whined to any media outlet that will create a story for him. Since college he’s been whining. He’s an average QB. It’s time to grow up big boy & work for the position you want. The other men aren’t giving interviews – they’re too busy working for the positions they want. Matt needs to prove his value before opening his trap.
Also Chip will work around the obstacles the refs might put up. He’ll rally his team to do the same. Looking forward to watching the Eagles fly through their competition this season & make it all the way.

Judging by many of the comments I guess Barkley should have answered; “my goal since I was little was to grow up and be a career back up. I always wanted to hold a clip board and stand on the sideline while others played”. Geez, give the kid a break people.

That’s what I’ve been saying. If I was Matt Barkley I would already announced to the offensive team that all of this talk about Foles or Vick is nonsense because I’m going to win the job. I like Matt’s attitude here and he’s my favorite QB in Philly right now. If Philly could live with that then they could trade both Vick and Foles to help out other areas of the team. And if you don’t play Barkley then that’s one more problem you might not be unraveling in advance.

It just makes too much sense to create a great team plan here, and if anything is clear it is clear that Philly is doings the hard way and the inefficient way, and it’s going to cost them a lot of money and opportunity value that are going right out the window. They are already late in configuring their strategy plans and sooner rather than later they need to figure out what they are doing. Until then this team is no threat to do anything.

ColtsWinColtsWin!! says:Jul 31, 2013 1:41 PM

Who cares! It’s Philly, they will find a way to lose no matter who the QB is!!!
Hail to the FluffyBunnies!
Hail RGKnee!

Show me the scenario where all three QBs don’t start at least one game this season…………….

Will Vick win the starting job, then stay healthy AND play well enough to keep it through 16 games?

Hell no!

Will Foles win the starting job, then play well enough to keep it through 16 games?

Hell no!

If you start one guy, then pull him for the other, and the other guy poops the bed too, you don’t go back to the first guy.

Unless he proves himself in pre-season and in practice to be a total spaz, at some point around late November, at the latest, someone in an offensive coaches’ meeting is gonna say “why not give the kid a shot?!?”, and nobody will have a decent argument against it.

This Eagles team has 5-11 written all over them, and this might be generous. I have no idea what they’re going to be doing on defense, and I don’t think they do either, and this QB cavalcade of mediocrity isn’t going to put the points on the board needed to cover up their defensive shortcomings.